Buckle-shield



No. 626,051. Patented May 30, I899.

A. BURSON.

BUCKLE SHIELD.

(Application filed Nov. 1, 1898.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AMOS BURSON, OF NEGLEY, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOSEPH W. THOMPSON, OF SALEM, OHIO.

BUCKLE-SHIELD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 626,051, dated May 30, 1899. Application filed Novemher l, 1898. Serial No. 695,221. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, AMOS BURSON, a citizen of the United-States, residing at Negley,in the county of Oolu tnbiana and State of Ohio, have 5 invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Buckle-Shields, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to buckle-shields.

The object of my invention is to provide a cheap, simple, and effective buckle-shield for 'use on all kinds of buckles, such as harnessbuckles, belts, straps, 850., so as to prevent hairs from horses tails and manes from catching or cut-angling with the same, as well as to 1 prevent such buckles from tearing and catching the clothing or injuring the person.

I A further object of my invention is to provide such a form of buckle-shield which will securely hold the buckle and tongue thereof in place and at the same time can be quickly applied and removed from the buckle and strap on which it is used. j

My invention consists, generally stated, in the novel arrangement,construction,and com- 2 5 bination of parts as hereinafter more specifically set forth and described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

To enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to construct and use the buckle-shield, I will describe the same more fully, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of an ordinary harness-strap having my invention applied there- 5 to. Fig. 2 is a side view thereof. Fig. 3 is a perspective View of buckle-shield removed. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of another form of my in- Vention. Fig. 7 is a plan View of the same,

and Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof.

Like letters herein indicate like parts in each of the figures of the drawings.

My invention is shown as applied to the harness-buckle strap a, although it is evident it can be applied to all kinds of straps, belts, 850., containing buckles of this nature. The buckle-strap a is provided with the ordinary 5o keeper or loop I), which is secured in any suitable manner within the body-strap cand is adapted to hold the free end (1 of the perforated engaging strap d therein.. The body- .strap 0 is provided with the ordinary bearing 0' therein for holding the buckle f, which has buckle-tongue g mounted thereon in any suitable manner. Fitting over the strap d is the buckle-shield h, which is preferably formed of thin sheet metal and is provided with the holeor slotiat the strap-engaging end 2" thereof. The opposite or free endj of. the shield his rounded off, as at 70, so as to be easilyinserted within the loop I) when in place, and

the bottom of the shield h is expanded or reinforced at Z to form the recess m for confining the free end g of the buckle-tongue g. The strap-engaging end t" of the shield h is bent down, as at n, to form the flange or ledge end cl of the strap d to be passedthrough the buckle finto the loop I) on'thebuckle-strap a and buckled in the usual manner by allowing the tongue 9 of the buckle f to enter one of the perforations in the engaging strap d. The shield h is then moved along the strap 61 to place by passing its free endj into the keeper or loop I) and allowing the recess m on the shield h to fit over the free end g on the buckle-tongue g, so retaining the shield h in place and preventing longitudinal dis placement thereof. In case, however, greater security is required against displacement of the shield h from the loop I) of the bucklestrap (1, although ordinarily the engagement of the free end of the buckle-tongue with the recess m will be sufficient for this purpose, the shield it can be slit at its free end j, as at r, and the portions between the slits 'r and on each side thereof bent in opposite directions, as at s and t, in order to form the a spring portions 8 and i, so as to give a greater Ico thickness to the free end j of the shield h. The elasticity of the metal in the shield h and into separate branches, but the construction shown is considered the most desirable.

It will thus be seen that my improved buckleshield for straps, belts, &c., is cheap and simple in its construction and operation and can easily and rapidly be applied to all kinds of buckle-straps. Its use will prevent the catching or entangling of horsehair within the buckle as well as prevent any injury to the clot-hing or person coming in contact with the same. It will also prevent the possible unfastening of the strap from the buckle and presents a neat and finished appearance to the strap upon which it is applied.

Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a strap having a buckle and provided with a loop, of a shield having a slot in one end adapted to engage with a second strap said shield having its other end inserted within said loop, and a nose-shaped cavity or recess within the shield for the reception of the free end of the buckletongue, the engagement of the free end with said cavity preventing longitudinal displacement of the shield.

2. Thecombination with a strap having a buckle and provided with a loop, of a shield having a slot in one end adapted to engage with a second strap and having its opposite end inserted within the loop, said loop end having a spring portion struck up from the body of the shield and adapted to engage with said loop to prevent displacement of the shield.

3. The combination With a strap having a buckle and provided with a loop, of a shield having a slot at one end adapted to engage with a second strap and having its opposite end inserted within the loop, a nose-shaped cavity in the shield at the slotted end for the reception of the free end of the buckle-tongue, and aspring portion struck up from the body of the shield and adapted to engage with said loop to prevent displacement of the shield.

In testimony whereof 1' have hereunto set my hand, at Salem, in the county of Columbiana and State of Ohio, this 22d day of October, A. D. 1898.

AMOS BURSON.

W itn esses:

JACOB HANSON, JOHN E. ROGERS. 

